Where metal shelving is used to display goods in retail stores, it is usually required to provide a means for displaying price and other information relating to the products on display. Traditionally, this has been accomplished by providing labels that attach to a flat outside edge of the shelf by means of double-sided tape. However, such labels are difficult to remove and their removal leaves behind a sticky deposit on the shelf; this is particularly a problem in grocery stores, where price and product information changes very frequently. Accordingly, it has been recognized that it is desirable to provide a means whereby labels are removably retained for display at the shelf edge. In order to address this problem, shelves have been provided with a c-shaped channel along their exposed outer edge, referred to as a price ticket channel. Typical store shelves provided with such a channel include the Ontario Store Fixtures.TM. shelf. This shelf is provided with a sheet metal c-channel formed from an extension of the upper surface of the shelf, bent to form a channel and spot-welded to the exposed outer edge of the shelf. The Hussmann.TM. shelf is provided with an extruded aluminum channel member mounted to the edge of the shelf.
Where a channel is provided, a card or label may be retained directly within the channel. However, this approach leaves the labels open to switching or other tampering by customers. As well, it requires the use of labels made of a relatively rigid material, in order to achieve a firm retention within the channel. This requirement is expensive and may be incompatible with the computer-generated labelling system in use in many stores. Accordingly, it is desirable to place the labels behind a cover, to render it more difficult to tamper with the labels and allow for the use of paper labels. As well, it is desirable to provide a system that allows other forms of displays to be easily fixed to the shelf.
Various systems have been proposed to provide a clear covering or holder for labels to eliminate the need to tape labels directly to shelves and still protect the labels from tampering. The simplest of these is a simple plastic panel that is removably inserted into the c-channel, typically by sliding the panel into the channel from its end. A drawback of this approach is the difficulty and awkwardness of installing and removing the panels without disturbing the labels, whether to change the labels or to replace the panel when it becomes damaged. An alternative system is intended for use with flat-edged shelves. This approach is to provide a display holder that comprises a resilient clear plastic panel co-extruded with a flat backing panel. The backing panel may be taped to the flat edge of a shelf with double-sided tape. The respective panels are joined along their lower edges and are urged together by the resiliency of the plastic at the junction. Labels are sandwiched between the backing panel and the clear panel, and may be replaced by retracting the clear panel away from the backing panel. This solution suffers the disadvantage that when the holder becomes damaged, it may be difficult to remove it from the double-sided tape, and the old tape may leave behind a deposit. As well, initial installation may be time-consuming as a result of the use of double-sided tape. As well, the provision of backing and panel members requires two layers of plastic, with a corresponding increase in costs and resource use over the use of a single layer of plastic.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a holder to retain labels to a shelf, where the holder comprises a single layer of plastic and is not required to be taped to the shelf.
A holder or covering for labels faces several requirements. It must be simple to manufacture, install, and replace. Replacement of the labels must be simple and rapid. It should be relatively tamper-proof. Since the holder typically comprises an elongate strip that extends the length of the shelf and holds many labels, it should firmly hold each label independently of its neighbors. It should allow for the insertion of a variety of types of displays in addition to standard data strips, for example displays that extend outwardly from the holder. The data strip should be readable by a bar code scanner when held in the holder.